1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin processing device which is used in automatic vending machines, money change machines, service machines and the like, and which can employ the so-called point system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, automatic vending machines, money change machines, service machines and the like (hereafter referred to simply as “automatic vending machines”) are provided with coin processing devices which discriminate and accommodate coins inserted from a coin insertion slot according to denomination, and pay out discriminated and accommodated coins in accordance with the amount of change.
Conventional coin processing devices of this type ordinarily comprise coin discriminating means for ascertaining whether an inserted coin is genuine or counterfeit and the denomination the coin, coin accommodating means for accommodating only coins that have been ascertained to be genuine, according to the denomination of these coins, and coin pay-out means for paying out accommodated coins only as change in accordance with transaction information of goods. In such coin processing devices, these means process only coins.
On the other hand, a so-called point system has been used in recent years in shops and stores to promote their commercial transactions. The point system is a system in which monetary information relating to commercial transactions such as the amount of money paid to the store by a consumer who purchased goods at the store is recorded in the form of points (point information) on a card (point card), and the amount to be paid to the store is discounted at the time of subsequent transactions on the basis of the point information. In cases where this point system is introduced into an automatic vending machine, it is necessary to input and output monetary information into and from this card. Accordingly, a special reader-writer which performs the input and output of information into and from the card is newly installed inside the automatic vending machine separately from the conventional coin processing device.
As the point card, a so-called coin-type IC card is ordinarily used. The coin-type IC card has a disk-form body, i.e., a coin type body in which an IC chip module that records, calculates and processes various types of information including monetary information, and an antenna coil or the like which supplies electric power and inputs and outputs information for the IC chip in a non-contact manner, are embedded.